OSX 10.7 Safari 5.1 font rendering problem

Found this explaining the "Block A" phenomenon. Haven't decided if I'll try one of their 3 suggested options or wait for Apple or Extensis to offer updates.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20087102-263/webkit-sandboxing-conflict-cau ses-safari-block-a-font-problem/?tag=mncol

You can't just use the fix already explained a bit further back in this thread? There is a Youtube video in which the problem is clearly explained and how to resolve it.

I solved this problem very easily by going into the safari menu and selecting reset safari. Problem solved, and all fonts are correct.

I have tried cleaning out font and backing them up - it helps for a short while then the font issue in safari is back again.

Anyone got any fixes for this - frustrating...

There is a definite fix for this issue - you have to edit the webkit framework using a text editor. You need to enter in the location of where your font manager keeps its fonts - that way Safari knows when to look for them when a web site uses @font-face CSS rules.

The exact details are here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW9aHlOIJUg

That's for one particular font manager. I used a different font manager (FontCase) and the same method worked, albeit the font locations were a little different.

Scott

Hi Scott,

Excellent - I will check it out...

Thanks!

Tim

Why do people keep asking the same question over and over again? The solution to this problem has already been posted several times in this thread. Pleas read the thread before posting.

I did read about 5 other articles and everything I read - people would find a fix - so they thought then it would crop back up again. I had seen that myself and kept searching until I came across this post.

Hi all.

Apologies for not going throught all 6 pages of these, so my reply might have been repeated.

I am not sure it is confined to only Font Explorer or something. I think most font management tools, including Extensis Suitcase Fusion 2 and 3 are also affecting Safari.

My home iMac has no problem at all with these weird text problem in Safari - I do not have any font management software installed.

At work, upgraded my MacPro to Lion and immediately in Safari I saw the 'text problem'. I also tried for a while resetting Safari, trashing preferences, caches etc to no avail.

So I tried turning off and quitting Suitcase Fusion 2, it helped, but some time some pages still get the problem. Tried installing SC Fusion 3 thinking a newer version would help - worse. So revert to SC Fusion 2.

I also did a combo of the earlier posts suggestions of removing Arial system font or something.

So for now. instead of auto-lauching SC Fusion 2 at Start up, I start up my MacPro as usual, launch Safari, then when I needed SC Fusion 2 to work with my Photoshop etc, then I launch.

So far no werid letter problem.

But yes, Apple Lion needs to fix this problem.

Cheers

Howwow, see my linked youtube video up above.

The issue extends to any font managers that save their font libraries outside the two default system locations (library/fonts and (system/library/fonts). You need to tell your webkit framework where your font manager saves the fonts.

I had the issue VERY badly on my Mac Pro (lots of fonts), and since the fix, I have not had a single issue.

Scott

Scott's solution works. If you are a Extensis Suitcase 3 user like me go here to get the 2 lines of code that you need to make the fix work for you.

http://forums.extensis.com/jforum/posts/list/3730.page

Thanks, Jimmy, but I could not decipher your low res file. I am a graphic designer who depends on Suitcase (Fusion 3, current version, updated, etc.) to manage the thousands of fonts that I need to open client files on a daily basis (I am in the sign business and people send me all kinds of files - the amount of fonts I deal with would make most people numb). Most of the time I get files from clients who have gotten them from third party designers - they have no idea how to outline fonts, or even spec them. When, if, I can track down the original designers, they are generally clueless - most just use the fonts and figure they are done. So I keep an extensive collection, and after 35 years of doing this am pretty good at font ID, and just figure it out. So not using a font manager is not an option.

I am not a casual user, and editing code is not too scary, but experience has taught me it has to be PERFECT to work. So I need step-by-step instructions. If you have indeed figured out EXACTLY what I need to add to my sb file, I'd be grateful if you would share.

After spending several hours on this problem, I am convinced it is a WebKit 2 issue. It irks me that neither Extensis or Apple have adequately addressed this issue. Macs would never have survived the late '90s without the support of the Graphic Design community - I think Apple really dropped the ball here. And I am absolutely clueless as to why Extensis hasn't come up with a solution. I'm guessing it has to do with licensing restriction Apple puts on developers, and Extensis has their hands tied. There is no other explanation.

I get it that Apple is trying to integrate the iOS and Mac OS interface, and that they think their future is in mobile devices and content control, but ***! This is a travesty! If you guys can figure this out- so can they. Apple, fess up and fix it!

By the way, the font issue is now on all the major browsers, including the new Firefox release. I am relegated to using an old version of Firefox (3.6.2), but now my online Quickbooks is dropping support for the old Firefox, forcing me to use a newer browser. When I use any of the browsers (Chrome, Safari, the new Firefox), they all give me "last resort A in-a-box". So essentially, Apple is forcing me to have one computer with legacy software to run my design software, and another machine to use the web. That is cumbersome and idiotic.

I really don't have the technical expertise to figure out on my own what "path" the Suitcase fonts are in - I really have no idea where they are stored. I know I have "most" of my fonts in an organized file in my documents directory, and when I "add" new fonts to suitcase, I go there to "add" them, then activate them as needed using the Suitcase interface. My knowledge stops there.

It amazes me how people who do have the technical skills to figure this stuff out presume we (people like me) can figure out how to write the necessary code and "go under the hood" to fix this stuff. Might as well say horkensnork the falbergaster and twitulate the rebanizer.

Anyhow, thanks if you can help!

Kevin

I agree with your sentiment, however there are 2 important points to note.

1) This has nothong to do with webkit. Its a sandboxing issue.

2) Quickbooks (and 99.9% of websites) will not stop supportig the previous firefox. Even if they put effort into it they wouldnt be likely to achieve this goal, as from a web development point of view theres really no difference between version 5 or 6. Happy to be proved wrong.

I agree though that ive seen the issue elsewhere, not in FF, but in Chrome - albeit slightly different in nature but similar none the less.

I agree though, that to have no official fix by now is embarassing to say the least for Apple. They pay people to moderate these comments, but no one to address them.

Sorry about the low res pic. The forum wont allow me to post a high res one.

If you lollow that link in the Extensis forum you will see the solution in that thread.

You simple follow the instructions in the YouTube video that was previously posted

and use these two lines of code instead of the ones he uses...

(home-subpath "/Users/<username>/Library/Extensis/Suitcase Fusion/Suitcase Fusion.fontvault")

(subpath "/Users/<username>/Library/Extensis/Suitcase Fusion/Suitcase Fusion.fontvault")

obviously you have to edit where it says <username> with your own username but other than that it works.

Thanks for the reply!

In an attempt to get to the bottom of this, I need to clarify a few things.

1. The sb files in question are within the WebKit2 framework. These particular files did not exist in the operating system until the addition of WebKit2 in Safari 5 and Lion. However, I agree with you the problem is likely a sandboxing issue.

2. Intuit has a warning page when I enter their Quickbooks ONLINE site, clearly stating that they will be ending Firefox 3.6 support "soon," recommending upgrading to Firefox 6.

3. You may know more about Firefox from a "web development" point of view, but from a user's standpoint, Firefox 3.6 does not have the "Last Resort Font" issue, Firefox 6.0.1 does. So does Chrome and Safari. Not only can I not use my Quickbooks ONLINE program with any of these browsers, but my whole browsing experience is severely compromised. I do not know about Firefox 4 or 5. I never used Firefox until this font problem cropped up. Maybe I could find a version of FireFox 5, and it might work and not be subject to support issues with Intuit.

Again, thanks for the input!

Kevin